Door-operated switch



Dec. 25, 1928.

' H. GLASER noon OPERATED swITqn Filed Dec. 25, 1927 Patented Dec. 25, 1928.

HERBERT GLASER, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

DOOR-OPERATED SWITCH.

Application filed December 23, 1927. Serial No. 242,031.

This invention relates to an improvement in a switch of the type generally used upon sliding elevator doors and the like. It has for its object to provide a switch of this character which shall be of sturdy and simple construction, which will have a minimum of parts; and in which the main or operatingparts of the device shall be reversible and interchangeable so that the switch may be practically used upon any type of sliding door.

A further object of the invention is to provide a switch of the character mentioned having a minimum of operating movable parts, so that the possibility of the device getting out of order or becoming inoperative 1S avoided.

With these objects and such other object as may hereinafter appearin View, I have devised the particular arrangement of parts hereinafter described and more particularly "pointed out in the claims appended hereto.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawing, forming a part hereof in which Figure 1 is a front elevation of my improved switch, with the front cover plate removed to disclose the interior mechanism;

I Figure 2 is a sectional view on the line 22 of Figure 1, looking in the direction of the arrows; 7

Figure 3 is a plan view of the pivoted switch lever;

Figure 4 is a perspective view of one corner of the casing showing theremovable and reversible end piece;

Figure 5 is a front elevation of the switch as it appears when in position and ready for use; and

Figure 6 is a plan view of the same.

Throughout the various views of the drawings, similar reference characters designate similar parts.

In the embodiment of my invention disclosed in the accompanying drawing, 1 indi--- cates the back or base of the casing in which the operating mechanism of the switch is contained. This casing is preferably made of metal and it is provided with a longitudinal side wall 2 and end walls 3 and 4. The longitudinal side wall opposite. to the wall 2 iscut away to permit the operation of a pivoted switch lever 5 as will be hereinafter described.

The corners or junctions of the walls 2 and 3 are provided with bosses 6 which have threaded perforations 7 that receive screws 8 for holding the cover member 9 in position to close the casing.

At 10 is shown a sheet of insulating material such as mica or the like which coversa considerable portion of the inner face of the base plate 1. A strip of substantially thick insulating material such as bakelite is-shown at 11 and this is secured on the inner face of the strip 1 by means of screws 12. At spaced points are located metallic plates 13 and 14, these plates being similar in appearance and are interchangeable- These plates 13 and- 14 are secured to the insulating strip 11 and are held out of contact with any part of the metallic casing. Each strip is provided with a binding post 15 having nuts 16 and washers 17 for engaging and holding the end of the current supplying wire 18.

Each one of the plates 14 also has a laterally extending stop member 19 which stands out from the face of the plate and; which acts as an abutment or stop for an end or arm 20 of a bell crank lever 21. This bell crank lever 21 is pivoted on a stud 22 which extends out from the face of the plate 13. Said lever 21 also has a downwardly depending arm 23 thatv terminates in an enlarged weighted lower end 24'. The arm 23 is spring pressed by a coil spring 25 that bears against the stop member 19 and surrounds a stud 26 thereon. A similar stud 27 is provided on the face of the lever 23 so that the spring is securely held in position.

Through the mechanism thus described, it will be seen that the-two arms 23 on the bell crank lever 21, are normally thrust toward one another by the springs 25, the stop arms 20 limiting this inward movement by contact with the ends of the stop members 19.

It will be apparent from the foregoing that since these two arms 21 aremounted on the respective contact plates 13 and 14 and as these arms are normally spaced away from one another, the circuit is open. The circuit closing device consists of the pivoted lever 5 which is provided near one of its ends with an opening 28 which fits over a hollow stud 29 located at one corner of the casing where a portion of the-wall 4 is cut away. A similar stud 30 is provided at the opposite lower corner of the casing and fitted over this stud is a corner member 31 which is shown in detail in Figure 4. This corner member 31 conforms in general shape to the contour of the base plate 1 at the corner where the member 30 is intended to be'fitted. The member 31 is provided with an opening 32that fits over the stud 30 and fills in the corner of the casing 0pposite tothat corner on which the lever. 5 is pivoted.

For instance, in Figure 1 the lever 5 is shown as pivoted on the stud 29. This accommodates a door moving from the right of Figure 1. To accommodate a door moving from an opposite direction, the lever 5 is slid off the stud 29 and the end member or block 31 is removed from the stud 30; the lever 5 is then reversed and its opening 28 is fitted over the stud 30. The block or end member 31 is then turned upside down and fitted over the stud 29. Thus, regardless of at which end the lever 5 is pivoted, the end member or block 31 acts to close the opposite end.

Referring now to the lever 5, this consists of an elongated metallic bar having a slightly downwardly bent end 33 provided with an upstanding stop member 84 adapted to abut against the end wall 4, when the lever is pivoted at 29, or against the end wall 3 when the lever is pivoted at 30, to limit downward movement of the lever. The upper face of the lever is provided with a micastrip 34 on top of which is a substantially thick insulating strip 35 of bakelite or the like secured to the lever by screws 47.

Secured to the strip 35 and extending upwardly therefrom, is a cam-shaped contact or circuit closing member 36. Near one end of the lever 5is provided an upstanding foot 87 which normally closesthe end of the easing where the lever is raised or lowered.

From the foregoing, the manner in which my improved switch ope-rates will be readil understood. Current is supplied through V the lead wire 18 and when the switch is closed passes on through the other lead wire 18% The door lsprovided with a suitable roller intheconventional way and this contacting with the under-surface of the lever 5 raises said lever about its pivot and causes the camshaped contact member 36 to be brought into contact with the enlarged ends 24 on both of the levers 21, thus closing the circuitbetween both of the levers. To compensate for the inequalities in doors of various kinds, the springs 25 are provided and these allow the cam-shaped member 26 to be moved up a considerable distance and avoids any damag to the mechanism.

From the foregoing, it will be seen that T have provided a switch having its parts interchangeable and reversible to suit different types of doors used. The pivoted lever 5 is as was heretofore explained, reversible and can be used in the several positions described. The plates 13 and 14 are similar in all respects as are the bell crank contact levers 21. To permit the electric wiring to enter in any desired way, I provide the casing with a plurality of openings 44 and 45 inits end walls. I also provide the flange or wall 2 with mounting holes 41 as well as with an enlarged opening 42 through which the wires the threaded hollow ends 46 of the studs 29 and 30.

Having described one embodiment of my invention, it is obvious that the same is not to be restricted thereto but is broad enough to cover all structures coming within the scope of the annexed claims.

What I claim is:

1. In a switch, a casing, a pair of spaced movable contacts therein, spring means for normally pressing said contacts toward one' another, a reversible lever pivoted on said casing adjacent to one end thereof, a contact member on said lever adapted to contact with the contacts within the casing when the lever is raised, and a stud at the end of the casing opposite to that at which the lever is pivoted whereby said lever may be pivoted at either end of the casing. 2. In a switch, a casing, a pair of weighted, spring pressed contacts 'pivotally mounted within said casing,a pivoted lever on said casing and a' cam-shaped contact member fixed on said lever adapted to be moved to contact with the contacts within the casing. 3. In a switch, a casing, a pair of spring pressed pivoted levers mounted therein, enlarged weighted heads at the lower ends of said levers, a pivoted lever on the casing havmg a cam-shaped contact member adapted to be moved between the heads on said levers and contact with the same and spread the'same apart against the tension of the springs aeting on said levers. 1 r p 7 4. in a switch, a casing, contact members therein, a reversible pivoted lever mov able to close circuit between said contacts, a pivot for said lever at one end of the casing, a pivot pin at the other'end of said casing whereon said lever may be pivoted when removedfrom its first-mentioned pivot.

5. In a switch, a pivoted reversible circuitclosing lever adapted to be raised by a sliding door to close circuit, a stud on which saidlever may be pivoted to be operative by a door movable in one direction, and another stud on which said lever may be pivoted to be operative by a door movable in the opposite direction. f

6. In a switch, a casing, a pair of contacts contained therein, a movable lever for closing electrical circuit between said contacts,

on either of which studs said lever is adapted to be pivoted, and a section of said casing adapted to fit over and cover the stud on which the lever is not pivoted.

7 In a switch, a casing, apair of spaced spring-pressed bell-crank levers mounted therein, electrical connections to said levers, a depending Weight-ed lower end on each of said levers, a lever pivoted on the casing, and a cam-shaped circuit-closing member on said lever for contacting with and closing circuit between the Weighted lower ends of said levers.

8; In a door-operated switch, a casing having an enclosing wall, a pair of spaced studs 15 on said casing, a circuit-closing lever adapted to be ivoted on either one of said studs, and a wall section adapted to be reniovably fitted over the stud on which the lever is not pivoted, said wall section aligning with and 2 forming a part of the. enclosing wall.

Signed at the city, county and State of New York, this 20th day of December, 1927.

HERBERT GLASER. 

